The present invention relates to a calcium containing preparation for the prevention or the treatment of hypocalcemia in ruminants.
During the period pending calving when a cow's milk production has normally stopped completely, its calcium mobilisation is also stopped.
Calving sets off a high milk production, and consequently a considerable need for calcium arises. In order to compensate for this sudden need, the body tries to provide calcium from the blood, thus causing the calcium ion content of the blood to decrease drastically. This causes the cow to lose control of its muscles, to lie down and become increasingly apathetic. Unless treated, the cow goes into a coma and dies. This condition is referred to as milk fever. Older cows are particularly prone to milk fever.
It is known to treat milk fever by oral administration to the sick animal of an aqueous calcium chloride solution. The dosage is typically 400 ml solution corresponding to a total amount of about 500 g, and this dosage is typically administered at 12 hour intervals. Aqueous calcium chloride solutions are very unpleasant tasting and therefore the sick animal must be force-treated. This may cause the calcium chloride solution to enter the lungs, which may be fatal to the animal.
In normal practise the calcium chloride solution is replaced with a calcium chloride-containing gel to prevent the therapeutic preparation from entering the lungs. This course of action is only followed for lack of a better one, since the use of a gel poses dosage problems due to the difficulties associated with the discharge of the gel from the container in which it is packed. The use of a gel does not eliminate the taste problem, either.
Attempts have also been made to treat animals suffering from milk fever with capsules containing a powdery calcium compound, such as calcium acetochloride. However, the calcium content of such capsules is relatively low and consequently a considerable number of capsules (e.g. 16) should be administered to the sick animal at two hour intervals, thus rendering the preparation unsuitable for practical use.